State Awards $20.4M in Federal Funds to 19 Nursing Schools

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The state on Monday announced it had awarded $20.4 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to nursing schools across Arkansas.

The grants to 19 two- and four-year colleges and universities were awarded through the Arkansas Linking Industry to Growing Nurses (ALIGN) Program. The program is designed to upskill nursing professionals, expand nursing apprenticeship programs and increase nurse educator recruitment and retention.

“As Governor, one of my biggest priorities is preparing young Arkansans for the careers of the future,” Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement. “Healthcare and nursing is one of our primary areas of focus.”

Public and private post-secondary educational institutions in Arkansas providing LPN, RN, and BSN degrees were eligible to apply for the ALIGN grant funding. All applicants were required to provide a health care partner contribution with a two-to-one match by the state for each dollar contributed by the health care partner.

Funds must be spent by Dec. 31, 2026.

The grant recipients are award amounts are:

• Arkansas State University — $2,598,396.00
• ASU-Mountain Home — $625,175.00
• Arkansas Tech University —$327,208.00
• Baptist Health Foundation — $1,944,608.00
• Henderson State University —$761,200.00
• Jefferson Hospital Association — $420,800.00
• John Brown University — $328,250.00
• NorthWest Arkansas Community College — $2,110,901.58
• Ouachita Baptist University — $487,000.00
• Philander Smith University — $396,857.13
• University of Arkansas Eleanor Mann School of Nursing —$1,198,353.00
• University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville (UACCB) — $368,614.26
• University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton (UACCM) — $2,024,546.00
• University of Arkansas – Fort Smith — $2,033,375.00
• University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Nursing — $969,200.00
• UAMS — $1,679,566.07
• University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff — $1,004,000.00
• University of Arkansas Rich Mountain — $645,850.00
• University of Central Arkansas School of Nursing — $476,100.00